The present invention relates in general to surgical blades and more specifically to an improved surgical blade construction preferably for use in surgery in confined areas or spaces such as in the joints and tissues of the foot or hand. The instrument of this invention is particularly for use in relieving the crippling effects in the feet due to contractions of the dorsal and plantar muscle-tendon-ligament aponeuroses.
In the prior art a conventional type of surgical blade is shown in, for example, the Lowe U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,495. A surgical blade is also shown in the Royer U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,860 adapted particularly for surgery in the hands. The conventional surgical blade is generally too large and not well adapted for use in podiatric applications and with the conventional blade there is too much of an opportunity for damage to the tissue adjacent to the fibrous band which is to be cut. Although the Royer construction is an improvement over conventional surgical blades there still are disadvantages associated therewith and particularly when the blade is to be used for podiatric applications.
The surgical blade of this invention, although preferably used for podiatric applications, may also be used in other types or surgery, especially those requiring incision, insertion of the blade through the incision and the cutting of a fibrous band such as a contracted aponeuroses.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a surgical blade of improved construction and particularly adapted for the uses set forth hereinbefore.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical blade which is of extremely small dimensions and which is narrow enough to fit into joints of the foot and which is yet strong enough to cut ligaments and tendons.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a surgical blade having a blade portion preferably of a length on the order of 5-10 millimeters and a width preferably on the other of 1-5 millimeters.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical blade that is very thin having a thickness of 1 millimeter or preferably less having a linear cutting edge contiguous with an incising edge at the tip extending in a substantially U-shape partially on the opposite side of the blade permitting the forming of an incision through which the entire cutting edge of the blade may easily be slid.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical blade preferably sharpened only along its cutting edge and incising edge but dulled on the remainder of the opposite side to minimize damage to, for example, nerves or veins that may be adjacent to the fibrous bands that are being severed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical blade that is dimensioned to make an incision that is extremely narrow with the results that few if any blood vessels are punctured thereby providing very clean surgery with little or no bleeding along the incision.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a surgical blade that is capable of incision and cutting with relatively little after effect upon the patient.